Tiny Tim, Houston's fat cat, succumbs to cancer

Carol Christia, Houston Chronicle

By Carol Christian

Updated 6:03 pm, Friday, March 15, 2013

Dr. Alice Frei, owner of Southside Place Animal Hospital, called Tiny Tim "the star who doesn't know he's a star." The beloved feline died Friday at the clinic after losing his battle with cancer.
Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

Dr. Alice Frei, owner of Southside Place Animal Hospital, called...

Tiny Tim, the 34 pound cat, does one of his daily 25 feet walks down the hall for exercise at the Southside Place Animal Hospital Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in Houston.
The abandoned cat weighed 35 pounds was it was rescued on the 10400 block of S. Kirkwood Rd.Tiny Tim is now on a diet and workout regiment where he must walk about 25 feet four to five times a day.
Frei said it will take about two years for Tiny Tim to reach his target weight of about 12 pounds. Currently Tiny Tim at 34 pounds is about the equivalent to an adult human weighing close to 500 pounds.
( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )
Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

Tiny Tim, the 34 pound cat, does one of his daily 25 feet walks...

Portrait of Tiny Tim, the 34 pound cat at the Southside Place Animal Hospital Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in Houston.
The abandoned cat weighed 35 pounds was it was rescued on the 10400 block of S. Kirkwood Rd.Tiny Tim is now on a diet and workout regiment where he must walk about 25 feet four to five times a day.
Frei said it will take about two years for Tiny Tim to reach his target weight of about 12 pounds. Currently Tiny Tim at 34 pounds is about the equivalent to an adult human weighing close to 500 pounds.
( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )
Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

Portrait of Tiny Tim, the 34 pound cat at the Southside Place...

Dr. Jessica Reyna pets Tiny Tim at the Southside Place Animal Hospital, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, in Houston. A year ago, Tiny Tim weighed 35-pounds and was picked up by BARC just before Christmas and ended up at Southside Place Animal Hospital for treatment and weight loss. This is a one-year update. He's down to 27.6 pounds despite a plateau in the summer when they discovered he had chewed a small hole in a bag of dog food near his sleeping place. Clinic owner Dr. Alice Frei decided earlier this year to keep him as a permanent clinic resident. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle )
Photo: Karen Warren, Staff

Dr. Jessica Reyna pets Tiny Tim at the Southside Place Animal...

Dr. Alive Frei with the Southside Place Animal Hospital pets 34 pound cat named Tiny Tim at the clinic Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in Houston.
The abandoned cat weighed 35 pounds was it was rescued on the 10400 block of S. Kirkwood Rd.Tiny Tim is now on a diet and workout regiment where he must walk about 25 feet four to five times a day.
Frei said it will take about two years for Tiny Tim to reach his target weight of about 12 pounds. Currently Tiny Tim at 34 pounds is about the equivalent to an adult human weighing close to 500 pounds.
( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )
Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff